Rajoy said Catalan President Carles Puigdemont "was the one who decided to continue moving forward with the process for applying Article 155. It was him and only him."

Four objectives for enacting the article were given by Rajoy: Returning to legality, recovering trust, maintaining high levels of economic growth while creating new jobs and celebrating elections in a situation of normalcy.

The debate consisted of whether or not Spain has right to defend its laws and Constitution against challenges, not against Catalonia.

"The thing that threatens Catalonia is not Article 155, but [the Catalan government]," Rajoy said.

Mirella Cortes, a senator from the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) party, said the Catalans will take “not one step back. Long live the Catalan republic.”

Catalans voted in a disputed independence referendum on October 1 that was ruled illegal by the Spanish Constitutional Court and met with police violence, which was condemned by rights groups and European leaders.

The Catalan government said 90 percent voted for independence, but turnout was less than 50 percent.

Puigdemont announced independence on October 10, but suspended the declaration after eight seconds to encourage dialogue with Madrid.